Also says accused choked her, threatened to burn her mother's house down

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An underage girl testified in an Iqaluit courtroom Tuesday she didn't know there was anything wrong with being in a sexual relationship with someone more than twice her age.

André Doucet, 39, of Iqaluit has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault, assault and intimidation in relation to events that occurred between December 2012 and March 2013. He is being tried before a judge and jury.

The complainant, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, testified by closed circuit television while sitting beside a support person. She was 14 when she reported the relationship to a school administrator in March 2013, who notified family services, who notified police.

The girl testified she fell in love with Doucet at first sight and believed he loved her, too.

She described a months-long relationship with Doucet, who would have been about 36 at the time.

She was not clear how old she was when she says she first had sex with him but told the jury the two had sex more than 10 times.

Under Canadian law, a person who is under 16 but older than 14 cannot legally consent to sexual activity with another person who is five or more years older than them, unless they are married. A person who is under 14 but older than 12 cannot legally consent to sexual activity with another person who is more than two years older than them.

She testified that in March 2013 she confessed to Doucet she had cheated on him. That's when she says he tried burning her feet with a Coleman stove and choked her for around six seconds.

She also testified he said he had installed cameras at her school to watch her and had threatened to burn down her mother's house.

Prior to the lunch break, Justice Sue Cooper released one of the 12 jurors after he was informed of a death in his family.

Clarifications

This story has been modified to address reporting requirements for ongoing trials.